Chasing Freedom
by TheLastValkyrie
Summary: Set a few months after the End of Infinity. Skara had been a prisoner of the Rüstov for six years and then she was imprisoned along with her friends by Jonas Smart after being labelled as non human. Now she has been set free and will stop at nothing to find her friends but how will she react to seeing her brother for first time in six years? (First story so please forgive my errors
1. Chapter 1

Chapter: 1

Six years. Six long years had passed since I had seen my home, and now I'm being brought back in a cage. The irony of my situation had not passed me by as in sat in the small confines of my stasis cell. I had been a Rüstov prisoner and experiment for a long time and now they were gone. Wiped off the face of the galaxy in one fell swoop. It was almost too good to be true. It probably was. Most of the Rüstov prisoners were set free and welcomed back with open arms but there were a select few of us that weren't allowed to go home. They covered our tracks and made it so we were either proclaimed missing, non existent, or dead. The public did not know that we still existed. They did not know that our pain continued simply because we had been labeled sub-human. Dangerous. More of a machine than a person. I doubt even the Inner Circle even knows we still exist. I sighed as I closed my against the harsh white light. I had long ago accepted my reality that there weren't going to be any heroes coming to save us. We could only trust each other and ourselves. Overall there were five of us. Sprax, Drakar, Bianca, Ash, and me. I hadn't seen any of them for what seemed like an eternity but it was hard to keep track of time in a place like this. I knew that they still were alive but of what they were going through, I had no idea.

Suddenly a voice came on over the speakers in my cell.

" Experiment: V1, please exit your cell. Testing will begin shortly."

Slowly the door to my cell opened and to heavily armed guards walked in, their batons at the ready. I opened my eyes to glare at them slightly. I knew it would probably be pointless to show any emotion at all but it made me feel better. Anyways one the guards kept a gun trained on me while the other chained my feet together along with my hands. They didn't need to chain my wings as they already were clamped down. Yes I have wings. Metal wings to be precise. Made of a super light metal alloy, they are also extremely durable and sharp. See the Rüstov altered us as a part of their experiments for the Revile project. These so called "enhancements" were supposed to compliment our skills and test the limits of how far they could change us without killing us. Needless to say not many survived but those who did were so successful that they created a new branch of the Revile project dedicated to creating a new type of parasoldier hosts. Project Valkyrie. That was only the beginning of our nightmare. Now here I was back in some underground lair without any knowledge of where my friends are and on my way to some long round of torture in the name of science. Yep, definitely back at ground zero. As I walked down the stark, white hallways all I could hear was the clanking of my chains and the footsteps off the guards. That was strange. Usually I could hear the sounds of other "experiments" going on. Now everything seemed abandoned as I caught glimpses of empty labs and offices. Stranger still, I wasn't being led down to the usual labs were most my testing takes place. My eyes narrowed as thoughts swam around in my head. Maybe they were taking me to see one of the others? Hope spread through me at the thought of seeing my friends again but that hope was dashed against the rocks as we turned a corner and entered an empty docking bay.

It was the first time I had seen this place since I had been brought to this facility. Was I finally leaving? And if so, were am I going? I didn't have to wait long have my questions answered as a sleek Falcon 27-F star cruiser landed in the docking bay. That ship looked and probably was very expensive, so it was probably carrying someone important I theorized.

I was so focused on the ship that I didn't notice how nervous the guards looked until one of them whispered quietly as if I couldn't here him, saying," We weren't expecting anything more than a transport ship, right? I mean we were the last to be evacuated so.. "

Suddenly the ships outer speakers came on with a buzz," DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND RELEASE THE GIRL! THIS IS THE IMAGINE NATION POLICE, I REPEAT DROP YOUR WEAPONS! "

Yeah that didn't go over well since the two guards raised their guns and started firing at the silver starship. After a few moments of that both guards were blasted off of their feet by a laser cannon on the starships starboard side. I couldn't believe it! Am I finally going to be free? Of course I was still bound in chains but that didn't last long as the ships doors opened up and superheroes of all sorts poured out. One of them, a seemingly ordinary man in a trench coat, approached me slowly as his comrades spread out, securing and searching the facility.

He smiled reassuringly at me as I started to back away out of instinct.

" It's ok. My name's Jazen Knight and I just want to help. I don't want to hurt you. I'm one of the good guys. " He said kindly. He looked at the handcuffs and chains surrounding my wrists and ankles, and frowned slightly," Can you tell me your name?"

" Skara. My name is Skara." I said as he undid my chains, and I stretched my wings for the first time in what felt like forever," I'm from Varagog Villiage and I want to go home."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter: 2

Apparently Jazen Knight was some very important officer in Machina who was leading the search for Jonas Smart. It turns out that Jonas Smart was the guy who had been conducting experiments on me and others without the Inner Circles knowledge or consent. Somehow they found out about it and went to arrest him but he was nowhere to be found along with a lot of data missing from the SmartCorp database. The Inner Circle only managed to recover some of the data thanks a young hero who had a way with machines, which in turn led them to this facility were they found me. So far they hadn't gotten the two guards to talk but they were rather confident that would.

So now I was aboard the Vanguard, the ship that the heroes had arrived in, and on my way to the Imagine Nation's capital, Empire City. I was going home. I still couldn't seem to get my mind around that. For so long various prison cells had been my home but what was a home without a family? I still don't know where the others are and my real family has been dead for six years. So what do I have to go back to?

" ?",I turned around in my chair to face the older man,"Have you heard anything about my friends? You know the ones that were with me when we taken to that facility."

"First of all ,Skara, call me Jazen and no I'm sorry to say we haven't found any of the other kids who were taken." He smiled sadly as he noticed my grim demeanor at that news and sighed,"Look, I'm very good at what I do if I do say so myself and I promise that we'll find your friends. I'm sure it won't be that long now considering all the information we got from that place back there. At first we weren't even sure what we would find there but it turns out we found you. Do you have any family we can contact? Parents, Aunts, Uncles, even friends of the family would be good. We need to let them know you're alive and that your ok. "

"My parents...are dead, Jazen, I had a brother but I don't know what happened to him."

Jazen frowned," I'm sorry to hear that, Skara... but what was your brothers name? Maybe he's still out there."

I sighed as looked out one of the bay windows before answering," Skerren. My brother's name is Skerren."

**-—-**

**Im sorry for the short chapter guys! I'll make the next chapter way longer I promise and a lot will be explained next chapter :3 **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter: 3

The look on Jazen's face after hearing the news was at first disbelief but it then turned to confusion as he realized I was dead serious.

"Your brothers name is Skerren? " He studied me for a second after I nodded before asking," What's your brothers power, Skara?"

I frowned for a second, unsure of how that question was relevant, but I decided to say," My brother and I are twins so we have the same power, the power to cut through anything as long as our hearts are in it. "

Jazen then let let a long sigh and leaned back in his chair," This makes things very...complicated. Skara, your brother is alive. I've seen him."

My whole world seem to come to an abrupt halt at those words. For so long I had thought my brother was dead or at the very best lost to me forever but now...now I know he's out there and Jazen knows were he is. I just...it seemed too good to be true but now I know that I have more family out there than just my friends. I now have one more reason to survive.

I remember the day my parents died. It had been cloudy out that day and rain had drizzled down into the courtyard while thunder rumbled in the distance. It was a fitting atmosphere now that I look back on it. Skerren and I had been sitting by the hearth, and trying to dry off in the heat of the fire. We had been playing outside in the rain even though our mother had told us not to. In my defense it was all Skerren's fault. In the end though our mother scolded us for disobeying her and sent us off to get cleaned up before taking our punishment. I would have gladly taken that punishment now if it meant that what happened next never came to pass. While we were sitting by the fire and I was glaring at Skerren for getting us into trouble, our father came in. Our father was a knight serving under the high king of Varagog Villiage, King Hovarth. He was smiling as he came in the front door and as he sat down on a nearby stool. None of us noticed the two Rüstov Parasites slither out of his bag and head towards our parents until it was too late. I remember my parents screams as they turned and the Rüstov mark appeared on their left eye. It haunts me along with a hundred other nightmares to this day. Shortly after that a Rüstov Left Behind burst into the room amid our screams and reached out for me. I was only nine at the time so there was little I could do as the Rüstov carried me away while I screamed for help, for my mother. For my father. No help came. I only caught a glimpse of Skerren's terrified face as I was taken away and I thought thought was a face I would never see again.

Now I looked at Jazen with my blue eyes wide before quietly asking,"Where is he? I've...I've got to find him."

Jazen smiled as I spoke," I figured you would want to. Here." He pulled out a small device out of his jacket pocket, a holo communicator, and typed a few small commands onto the keypad," I'm calling the Inner Circle, since they should be in session right now."

"What does the Inner Circle have to do with my brother?"

" Your brother is a student in the School of Thought, which is taught by the Inner Circle and is a ward of Circleman Hovarth, plus it's fun to interrupt their meetings." Jazen said with a small laugh.

I shook my head in disapproval, but I laughed a bit as well until someone on the other side of the call picked up.

Six faces were projected into the air as a hologram, and one of them, a bored looking man with greased back, blonde hair, sighed and said," Commander Knight, there must be a very good reason for this interruption I presume? We were in the middle of a very important discussion."

Now that, I am pretty sure, was sarcasm.

"I was just reporting back on how the mission went, Circleman Noteworthy ." Jazen replied with a smirk.

"So how did it go? Oh, I'm sure you found Jonas Smart, the missing data, and the children that Smart has captured, right Commander Knight?"

Yep,definitely sarcasm.

" Oh for goodness sakes just tell us, Jazen." Said a rather beautiful woman, cutting into the conversation. Her eyes were focused intently on Jazen, probably more so than was necessary as she spoke," We are quite anxious to hear what you found."

Jazen nodded in the woman's direction and proceeded to say," We managed infiltrate the facility with little resistance but by the time we got there almost everything was destroyed and everyone gone except for two guards and a prisoner. We captured the guards and are interrogating them now and the prisoner is safely aboard the ship. Right now we are searching this place for any information but I doubt we'll find any. I think our best bet for information is from the two guards. Obviously someone informed Smart that we were coming."

" We'll shall take that into consideration, Commander Knight. Thank you for informing us so quickly," An middle aged Asian man, who must be Circleman Chi, said," Is there any other information we should be informed of?"

" Well this information involves Circlemen Hovarth in particular."

When I heard Jazen say that I knew he must be talking about me. How would King Hovarth take the news that I was alive? Would he even care?

"Well, what is it?"Hovarth asked gruffly as he peered at Jazen as if he extract the information from him by sheer force of will.

"The prisoner that we found is Skara, Skerren's sister."Jazen stated bluntly.

After that it was dead silent. Not a sound could be heard from the Inner Circle until Circleman Noteworthy exclaimed," You have got to be kidding me! You found another brat to drag back here?"

" Be quiet Noteworthy! If what Commander Knight says is true then we have a miracle on our hands! We should be happy about this!" Hovarth seemed to glare at Noteworthy for another few seconds before turning back to Jazen," Commander Knight, is Skara with you right now? May I speak to her?"

Jazen nodded and pointed the holo communicator towards me and suddenly I was facing the six most powerful people in the Imagine Nation and quite possibly the world. I smiled slightly and said probably the most stupid thing I could say and the first thing that came to my mind," Er, hello...?"

Hovarth seemed to stare at me for what seemed like a full minute until he finally smiled broadly," By the gods! It is you! But...how did you survive? We thought you were dead! "

" It's a rather long story, my king. "I hesitated before speaking again," But honestly I'm just happy to be alive."

**Well I hope you guys liked that chapter and yes the action will probably pick up next chapter by a lot c: also should I do a chapter in Skerren's POV later on? Thanks for reading and please read and review! :3**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter: 4

So then I started to tell the Inner Circle my story, starting with my parents death and the years I was a Rüstov experiment until I was captured by Jonas Smart and then rescued months later. It was a painful story to tell and I left out a lot of things that I just couldn't talk about yet, like how Sprax lost an arm during an experiment gone wrong or the day my wings were implanted. All of those memories and more were like scars, if I just left them alone they would fade and those memories wouldn't hurt as much.

I finally finished my story and was about to say something else when the ships alarm went off and red lights started flashing. Suddenly the whole room shook along with a large air splitting boom and I was knocked out of my seat!

Jazen jumped up from his chair and started barking orders to other members of the crew piloting the ship," Ricochet! What's going on!? "

A woman with an accent at the front of the ship yelled back at him," We're being attacked! It looks like a SmartCorp ship! "

Jazen swore and as the ship shook again he screamed out," Get us out of here! "

" I can't! We're being held in a gravity field!

The sirens continued to screech as the ship kept taking multiple hits. Outside the bay window I saw heroes flying through air, trying to defend the ship but being picked off one by one by missiles and lasers streaking through the air.

Metal screeched on metal as the Vanguard was slowly being ripped apart by the gravity field that was pulling it in towards a large battleship. Heroes were falling left and right, and when I looked over at the holo communicator, it simply read NO SIGNAL.

I stood up and ran for the main computer as best I could, a harebrained idea forming in my mind. On my way I grabbed the holo com and ran past Jazen, who was still giving orders to the people left standing.

" What are you doing?!" He exclaimed amidst all chaos and confusion," Now's not the time to be making a phone call! "

I simply ignored him for the moment, as I plugged in the holo comm to the mainframe computer. I then typed in some commands and a loading bar popped up with the words DOWNLOAD 50% PLEASE WAIT...

" Jazen! " I called out to him and he turned to look at me," I'm downloading all the information you found at the facility. We're aren't going to win this fight and all of you're flyers are down but me. I need you to open the hangar doors!"

Realization dawn on Jazen's face as figured out what I was trying to say," No! You are not flying out there!"

" But I can get this information back to Empire City! Jazen, trust me, this might be the only chance we are going to get! I can fly faster than anything out there! Just trust me! "

" She's got a good point there, Jazen!" Ricochet yelled back towards us," I don't think we have any other option! "

DOWNLOAD 100% the screen flashed silently as the sirens kept screeching. Grim determination crossed Jazen's face," I don't like this but your right! Ricochet! Open the hangar!"

The doors opened with a large screech and wind rushed into ship, blowing like a tempest. Outside I could see the missiles closing in on the ship as my brown hair whipped around in the violent winds. With no time left I grabbed the holo com off of the table and jumped out the hangar doors.

For a second I was free falling as a shockwave burst through air and shrapnel fell like rain, making me deaf for a second. It was silent except for my heart thudding in my ears and my blood felt like was on fire. Above me the Vanguard exploded in a twisted scream. The missiles had hit it dead on and Jazen and Ricochet hadn't gotten out in time. They weren't going home. Not now. Not ever.

" No!" I screamed, falling through air as the ground rushed up to meet me. In a dull haze, I opened my wings with a snap! and rocketed up through the air, dodging shrapnel and missiles completely on instinct. I clutched the holo com to my chest as I flew ever higher, trying to escape the chaos around me. Dodge. Turn. Fall. Rise. I whipped through the air, twisting and turning as they threw everyone weapon the had against me but I was racing the wind and no could stop me now. Bombs went off around me as I flew away but eventually I outdistanced them all. I flew towards the ocean with tears in my eyes. I had always imagined going home but never like this.

Skerren's POV

Honestly, I was trying to pay attention in health class but it was getting very annoying how Jack and Allegra kept looking at other, giggling, and passing notes during the whole lecture. Seriously, why those two can't just start dating, I'll never know. Plus Zhi was probably asleep in class again as I could practically hear him snoring. With all of that combined it was pretty hard to pay attention, much less care about the lesson.

With a sigh I opened my notebook and tried to take notes about malnutrition or whatever the substitute was talking about. That lasted about twelve seconds as Allegra and Jack started laughing about something Jack had written on a note he had passed to her. That's it.

I started writing a note to Jack and then crumpled it up into a ball. I was about to throw it at his head everything turn orange and the classroom disappeared in a flash of light. Suddenly I was teleported into the meeting room of the Inner Circle and since I was throwing the ball right as I arrived, I accidentally pegged Clarkston Noteworthy in the eye.

" Ow!" He howled in outrage, and glared at me with his one good eye.

Well then, that could have gone better.

" Uhh.." I managed to say as everyone stared at me," Sorry?"

**Hey guys! It's me again XD I hope this chapter turned out ok. So how did you guys like it? To short? Or was it too long? ^^ please review so you can give me your opinions! Oh and I would also like to thank KhalixXBlack and Moonwolf121 for reviewing! It means a lot to me :3 Well see you guys next chapter! C:**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter: 5

Skerren's POV

For a moment it was dead silent in the council room. Literally you could hear a pin drop. Then, surprisingly, Stendeval started laughing. A large, booming laugh, it broke the awkward silence as he continued on to say,"Well that was amusing."

" Amusing?! He hit me in the eye!" Clarkston Noteworthy exclaimed and scowled in my direction.

" Yes and I'm sure you're mortally wounded, Clarkston, but we have more important matters to attend to," Prime said, ushering the conversation forward as he turned towards me," Skerren, are you aware of the mission Jazen Knight was assigned to a few days ago?"

I frowned as I looked around the council room and at all the grim faces looking down at me. Something was wrong and for some reason it involved me and apparently Jazen Knight as well. Still confused I looked at Circleman Prime," Yes sir. Wasn't he on a mission to capture Jonas Smart or find information that we could use to capture him? "

" Yes that is correct, Skerren, but while Commander Knight was capturing a SmartCorp research facility, he found a young girl being held hostage there and used for experimentation. She and two guards were the only ones found at the facility." Circleman Chi said in his almost whisper like voice, as he addressed me for the first time during this whole unexpected meeting," While on his way back with the girl we believe he was attacked by a SmartCorp battleship. That is all we know right now, because Jazen Knight and Ricochet are missing in action along with the girl."

"They're gone?! " I cried out, my voice trembling with anger and shock. Jonas Smart had attacked a government sanctioned mission?! That in itself was an act of war, and that wasn't even counting his other crimes,"How long ago did this happen and why aren't Jack and Allegra here?! "

For the first time since this meeting started I noticed that Circlewoman Virtua wasn't here and now I knew why. She had almost gone to war with Hightown over Jazen Knight, and I'm sure she would do that again if she had to. It's looks like she might, actually.

Chi raised his hand and I fell silent," Skerren, this only happened about thirty minutes ago and we will be informing Jack and Allegra soon enough. The reason we have call you here alone is so we could tell you that the girl that Jazen Knight found at the facility was your sister, Skara..."

He continued speaking but I didn't hear him. I was too lost in shock and my own thoughts to care. My heart was going a thousand miles per hour as it all came back back in a rush. Skara and I playing out in the rain, getting scolded by our mom, dad coming home, and...and...they died. All of them.

" My sister is dead." The words came out of my mouth before I realized what I was saying," She died six years ago and she isn't coming back. I'm not going to get my hopes up when I already know the truth. I've spent six years of my life trying to forget that truth, so please, don't remind me."

I turned and ran out of the council room without giving a thought or care. I kept trying to hold back tears as that night seemed to come back towards the surface of my memories like a monster. She's gone, they're gone. They're not coming back! Kept repeating in my mind as I ran. I didn't even know were I was going until I found myself by my favorite oak tree in SeasonStill Park. Slowly I sank to the ground, and sobbed by myself under an oak tree," They're not coming home..."

Skara's POV

It was raining. No, actually, it was storming like the god of thunder himself had lost his mind. Thunder boomed, and lightning crackled, lighting up the gray horizon. The wind hit me from all sides and I had little energy left to resist. I had been flying in this storm for hours it seemed and now I wasn't sure if I was even near the ocean anymore. My muscles in my back and my wings felt like they were on fire. I needed to land. I was lucky I hadn't been struck by lighting by lightning yet but I'm not sure how long that will last.

BOOM! Lightning blinded me and thunder seemed to knock me out the sky like the hand of God. I was vaguely aware of falling. Falling. Oh God I'm falling! I managed to open my metallic wings one last time to slow my descent as I fell towards the earth in the middle of a storm.

**Well...um. That was depressing wasn't it. .-. But don't worry! Everything will be alright and guess who's going to come and comfort Skerren! XD Anyways please review and I hope you like this chapter c: sorry it's a bit short...**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter: 6

Skerren's POV

I stayed under that tree for a long time until the sky started turning dark. No stars were shining tonight. It looked like a storm was brewing but I didn't care. I didn't really care about anything at the moment.

"Skerren?"

I turned around slowly, shocked because I knew that voice and slightly sad because I didn't want her to see me like this. Not Trea of all people.

" Hey..." I said and shoved my hands into my pockets and looked down. I was hoping she wouldn't notice my red eyes, a sure sign that I had been crying but as luck would have it she did.

" You've been crying."Trea noted softly as she took in my disheveled appearance.

" No I...just...yeah...I was crying." I said, too tired to even come up with a good argument as I sat down and leaned my back against the tree. I looked away from Trea, completely embarrassed about this whole situation. I closed my eyes hoping she would go away, but when I opened them again there she was sitting on the ground next to me, with a small frown.

"What happened?" She looked straight at me, her brown eyes dark and serious.

" Nothing, Trea, just nothing at all." She simply stared at me until finally I sighed," Jazen, and Ricochet are missing."

Trea's eyes widened and then narrowed," But that's not what your upset about is it?"

I frowned slightly," How would you know?" I tried to sound angry but it came out softly, more like a whisper than anything.

" Because the Skerren I know would be leading the charge to find them, not crying. If anything you would have at least told Allegra and Jack about their friends being missing but you didn't did you? No, it must have been something else, something very personal for you to act like this." Trea looked sad for a second, as if she had read my thoughts but she simply leaned back against the tree," You don't have to talk about if you don't want to. Sorry, I shouldn't have pried I just...don't think sometimes."

It was silent after that for a few seconds but I sighed and said," My sister is alive, Trea. Jazen found her."

" Isn't that a good thing?"

" I guess...I don't know. For a long time I had hoped she was alive and out there somewhere, just waiting to come home." I laughed slightly at that thought," Every day for about a year after my parents died I would wake up and think that day was the day my sister would come home. She never did...and I just lost hope. I guess that was the best way of accepting it for me because I knew if she was alive she was probably suffering every day in prison and I couldn't do anything to help her. So I convinced myself she was dead and in a better place. But now I know she is alive and might be out there, suffering more than ever or worse. So it's kinda hard to accept what you don't want to see...and I don't want to see her suffer."

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't notice her holding my hand until she said softly," Don't give up on hope, Skerren. I've seen that happen to you before and I don't want to see that again...So please don't give up. "

" I won't." I said, my voice blending in with the chirping of crickets and the barking of bullfrogs that filled the surrounding woods," I have a feeling you wouldn't let me."

So we ended up just sitting there, just holding hands and listening to crickets while the storm grew.

**Meep. X3 yeah I know this chapter is cheesy but I just had to write it. I've kinda fallen in love with this couple XD oh and don't worry the next chapter will be all about Skara ;) and more about her time as a Rüstov prisoner. And yeah I know, it's another short chapter XD**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter: 7

Skara's POV

I hit the ground with a crash and the breaking of branches. I laid there on the ground for what must have been hours, covered in mud and unable to move and I still couldn't move. I had landed in a forest from what I could see through the pouring rain but that was all I saw. Trees, rain, and mud. Time seemed fly by but all I felt was the rain and hail throwing themselves at me and the thunder laughing in the distance.

" Pain,"I thought in a dull haze," So much pain. That's why I can't move..."

Everything hurt. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move. It hurt to think.

"Am I going to die?" I wondered, my thoughts in such a disarray that I wasn't even scared at the idea. No, it simply reminded me of another day, in another place, at another time.

I was about twelve at the time the Rüstov implanted my wings on me. I wasn't awake for the process but when I did wake up, they didn't give me drugs to fight off infections for the newly made scars. In the weeks after the process, as I sat in my dirty, rusted cell, the skin around my wings became agitated, and turned an ugly red color. I also developed a fever and started coughing up blood. During that time, I was so messed up from the infection that I hallucinated and called out for my family but they weren't there. I wanted to die to get away from the pain.

One day as I lay there on the floor of my cell, halfway between reality and a nightmare, which at the time there was no difference between them, the door opened and a kid stumbled in my prison. He was a Draconian boy, scrawny, and covered in dirt and his leathery wings were torn and battered. He looked over at me, a look of horror on his dirty face. I suppose he was glad I wasn't a Rüstov meant to torture him but at the same time my wings must have really freaked him out. I just laid there on the cold metal and closed my eyes. I didn't care what this boy thought of me as long as he didn't hurt me.

"Hi." The boy said with a cracked voice. He obviously hadn't spoken in awhile from the sound of his hoarse voice. That or he simply had screamed to much during a round of torture. Anyways I didn't reply and kept my eyes shut, trying to ignore him.

" My name's Drakar."

" That's nice, now shut up." I mumbled but then I started coughing and dots of red spattered the floor. I kept coughing and my whole body shook from the effort but I couldn't stop as blood flew out of my mouth and hit the floor.

It was only after I stopped shaking, did I realize that Drakar was staring at me at me. He looked sad, almost as if he pitied me. I didn't care. I simply shut my eyes and went on ignoring him. Later, when I woke up, the blood was cleaned off of the floor and my face. In fact my whole cell looked about as clean as it could get and Drakar was still scrubbing away with a piece of dirty cloth and nothing else to aid him. In the weeks to come, Drakar helped me get better by cleaning up the cell and offering me some of his food. Sometimes he would just sit and listen to me talk about my family or when I couldn't do that, he held me when I cried.

Now I was going to die and I had no idea where Drakar was. It was only fitting I guess. Slowly I closed my eyes and started to give up and fade into oblivion but I heard footsteps nearby. No. That was impossible. Who would be out in a storm like this? But then I heard muffled voices that sounded like they were getting closer.

" Dad! Come quick! There's a girl and she's hurt!" Came a boy's voice from somewhere nearby. Thunder rumbled loudly but the rain started to let up and I heard more footsteps headed this way.

"Oh my god...Son, go get your mother and then call the hospital in Empire City! Quick! Run as fast as you can...tell her...hurry!"

I was fading in and out of consciousness at that point, but I think I managed to smile. Because I realized I finally made it home.

**well I hope that was a good chapter. C: And yay! Skara finally made it to the Imagine Nation! So what did you guys think of Drakar? I honestly don't know what Draconians look like so I kind went off a human basis with dragon wings c: well there's that chapter so tell me what you think! And thanks for reading! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Story Update**

**Hey, ummm yeah. .-. Sorry I didn't put out a new chapter yesterday, it's just I don't know if I should continue this story. I don't know if anybody is still reading it or not and I don't know if anybody likes it still. I would really like some feed back, telling me if I should continue, restart, or stop this story all together and what I should change and need to improve on. I hope you guys understand that I'm kind of wondering about this story right now and that I want you guys to enjoy reading it as much as I like writing it but I need to know if you guys do enjoy it or not. I hope this explains some things and thanks for reading! **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter: 8

Skerren's POV

It was a little bit after midnight when I woke to someone banging on my door. Thunder rumbled outside and it was almost pitch black but I made my way over to the door, miraculously without tripping.

" Whaat?" I mumbled as I opened the door and saw a young servant boy in the doorway," Is there...yawn...something wrong? "

The boy had messy, blonde hair and it was obvious he had gotten up in a hurry since he was missing a shoe and his shirt was on backwards but his eyes were bright as he relayed his message in a squeaky childlike voice," King Hovarth, says to come at once to the Empire City Hospital! It is a matter of the utmost importance!"

My eyes widened and I wracked my sleep deprived brain for a reason I would be needed at a hospital at this ungodly hour but only one thing came to mind," Is the king hurt?! Has something happened to him?! " I asked, already reaching for my swords.

"No sir! He simply said it was a family matter and he would explain more once you got there." The boy then scurried away to probably relay other messages to other people. For a second I just stood there, stunned. A family matter? What could that- oh no. Could they have found her? But why would she be in a hospital?

As I came to that realization I pulled on my clothes and grabbed my swords, racing out the door towards the stables. When I arrived there I quietly opened the door and grabbed a lantern so I could see in the dusty old barn. Hay lined the floor and I could see glowing eyes in the stalls and hear the scraping of claws on metal bars. This wasn't a barn for horses. It was a place for dragons. Silently I opened the door to the stall of my dragon mount, Char.

He lifted his black, scaly head to pear at me curiously with burnt, amber eyes and loped over to me to sniff for any treats.

"No treats right now, Char. Sorry but we need to go for a little ride." I whispered and grabbed a saddle and fastened it onto the black dragon's back. I grabbed the reins and lead Char out into the courtyard and mounted the dragon in a hurry and I snapped the reins and Char shot off into the night air on powerful wings. I lead Char out of the Varagog Villiage skyways and towards Hightown, were the hospital was located. Below me I saw the city lights burning brightly as I flew by in a flash and I saw the hospital dead ahead.

I landed on the roof of the largest hospital in Empire City and dismounted without a word. Char flew off into the night, most likely heading home. I burst in through the roof entrance and ran down the stairs taking it two steps at a time. When I made it to the main lobby, I saw Jack, Allegra, Circlewoman Virtua and King Hovarth standing there looking grim while they spoke in low voices. Jack was the first to notice my arrival and he smirked slightly in my direction and said," Hey Skerren. You're late for once."

" Thanks, I noticed , Jack." I retorted and sat down next to him and Allegra who looked she had been crying," What's wrong? "

Jack sighed and frowned," Well they found your sister, Skerren, but they couldn't find Jazen or Ricochet and all she had with her was Jazen's holo com. They say it had information about Smart and his activities on the holo com but we don't know how it got there or why Skara had it."

Slowly I stood up and looked at Jack," Were is she? I need to see her."

" Skerren...it's not that simple. Skara is in critical condition they said and...they don't know if she is going to make it."

**Hey guys! So I've decided to continue writing this so thanks for letting me know if I should or not :3 So who's POV should the next chapter be in? Skara's? Skerren's? Or both? Please let me know and if you have any suggestions, ideas, or opinions you want to share feel free to tell me! C: thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter: 9

Skerren's POV

I opened the door to Skara's hospital room quietly. The doctors said they had done everything they could for her but she still hadn't woken up yet. I still held onto hope that she would wake up soon. My breath caught in my thought as I looked down at her, lying in bed. She was battered, bruised and now had wings but it was her. She was alive. I sat down as I stared at her in amazement. How did she make it this far? I wondered that over and over as tears fell down my face and I smiled at my sister for the first time in six years.

" Skara...I know you can't hear me but...I just wanted to say welcome back. I missed you...Look I know I wasn't there for you then but I'm here now. I won't let anything happen to you again...And...and I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't save you! But I'm here now so you have to come back, ok?" The tears were falling so hard that I couldn't see straight but I continued to say in my broken voice," Come back...Please...open your eyes! I don't think I can lose you again so please...please just wake up..."

Moments passed and all you could hear were my sobs as I sat by my sister.

"Don't cry, brother." Came a quiet, whisper-like voice.

Quickly I wiped my tears out of my eyes to see Skara, her blue eyes halfway open and a smile on her face, looking up at me.

Skara's POV

I woke up slowly to the sounds of the steady beep of a heart monitor and someone crying. I opened my eyes and I almost couldn't believe it. There was my brother, crying, as he sat next to me. He looked so much older, and his hair was a bit longer than I remembered but it was him. He was alive and right next to me but he seemed to be crying about something and I didn't want that.

"Don't cry, brother." I said as loudly as I could but there seemed to be something wrong with my voice as it came out in a whisper.

He looked over at me and a broad smile crossed his face," Skara...Your awake.."

I was confused when I heard that. Had I been sleeping? What happened? My mind was all fuzzy as if had been filled with cotton and I felt really dizzy.

" Were am I...I...don't feel good..." I managed to stutter out. It was getting harder to stay awake and the room looked so blurry. I was struggling to remember what had happened but I had this awful headache...

" It's ok, Skara. Your just experiencing the sedative, at least that's what the doctors said would happen. Just...just try to rest, you'll be alright. I'll go get the others and tell them your awake..." He smiled at me, his eyes bright, and stood up, heading for the door," You'll be ok, I promise."

" No...wait..." My mind seemed to be filled with clouds as I tried to remember something, something important," ...They're dead.."

Skerren frowned and came to sit next to me again, his expression was dominated with worry," What do you mean, Skara? Who's dead? "

" Jazen and...and...Ricochet." Sweat beaded my forehead as I struggled to remember what happened but it still was all a blur," The ship blew up...they were on it. Barely got out in time...everyone else died. The holo com has the information..."

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The heart monitor started beeping faster as my heart sped up and memories flew beyond my eyes. I was vaguely aware that I was slipping away from reality, that those memories weren't real but the room started spinning and shapes flew around in my head, and I couldn't stop thinking about the explosion. The explosion. An ear shattering boom and heat and shrapnel flying through the air. It all played out like a horror film in my head. I kept seeing it as I fell back into the void of sleep and as my vision faded I thought I heard someone calling my name. All I could focus on though, was the shards of metal flying through air, the heat of flames, and the sickening guilt of knowing Jazen was dead and I could have saved him.

Skerren's POV

" Skara?!" I cried out but she didn't answer. All that I knew was that her heart moniter was practically screaming and she looked extremely pale. She wasn't waking up! I kept calling her name but she wouldn't wake up! A few moments later doctors in white hospital scrubs rushed in the room and pulled me away while others started to examine Skara.

" She's going into shock! "

" Get a depressant! We need to calm her down! "

" Quick! Hand me the syringe! "

I tried to see what was going on but I was led out of the room and into the hallway by a doctor who was saying," Keep calm. We expected something like this to happen, it usually happens to patients of this sort."

"What do you mean? What's happening?" My king, Hovarth, walked down the hallway, his broad shoulders taking up any leftover room in the narrow confines of the hall. He towered over the small doctor, his eyes narrowed at the man as he asked," What is going on, Doctor Thornwell? I thought you said she was stable?!"

"She was for a short while but due to all the stress and trauma that she has gone through, along with all the mechanical modifications made to her body over the years, we believe that the sedative has caused her to go into a nightmare like state. The sedative will wear off over time but she may go into cardiac arrest before it does."

" So what are you going to do about it doctor?" Hovarth said through gritted teeth, his anger at the situation showing through in his speech.

Doctor Thornwell straightened his tie and cleared his throat nervously, as he stammered out," We're giving her a depressant right now, to calm her down and a distiller that will lessen the effects of the sedative. That should cause her to calm down well enough that she will be able to pull herself out the nightmares."

I stopped listening at that point. I didn't care about what the doctor said,I knew Skara was in trouble and yet that's not all I was sad about. She said that Jazen and Ricochet hadn't made it out in time and that they were dead along with the everyone else. Now it fell to me to tell the others that they weren't coming home.

**yay! I got over my writers block! But yeah it seems like I have a bad habit of uploading depressing chapters .-. Sorry about that but I tried to make this one longer and I hope you guys liked it! Anywho please leave some feed back if you enjoyed that chapter! Thanks for reading c: **


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter: 10

Skerren's POV

Slowly I walked into the waiting room, where Jack, Allegra, and Circlewoman Virtua were sitting, or rather Jack and Allegra were sitting and Virtua was pacing the room while her hologram projector followed frantically. My face must have been grim when I walked in because when they saw me, Jack asked," What's wrong? Is Skara alright?"

" No..." I sighed and looked away, I couldn't look them in the eye while I continued on to say," But I managed to talk to her for a minute and...she said Jazen and Ricochet...they didn't make it. The ship exploded, and they didn't make it out in time. I'm...sorry."

I winced when I said that. I knew what it was like to lose someone, and I'm sorry wasn't enough of a saying to show how much it really hurt. It's just...i just didn't know what to say. When I looked up at them, Allegra was sobbing and Jack was hugging her and telling her that it was going to be okay even though tears were in his own eyes. Virtua's voice was glitching out while her hologram was a deep scarlet which reflected her mood. I'm pretty sure she was cursing Smart in some foreign language but I didn't care since I wanted to say some stuff myself.

I couldn't take anymore of it and sat down far away from everyone else. A thousand thoughts ran through my head but I didn't dwell on any of them. I couldn't change the past but I could affect the future and right now I had to help Skara by staying strong for her.

Skara's POV

For hours I was stuck in a nightmare. White walls surrounding me, doctors prodding me with needles all while I was stuck in a haze. Memories turned into reality and again I was stuck back in Rüstov prison with no way out, only this time it was in my mind. Slowly though, bit by bit, my nightmare faded in nothingness and I was stuck in a void.

When I finally opened my eyes after the nightmares started, it was dark in of my room and there only the slow steady beat of the heart moniter to be heard. At the foot of my bed I thought saw a shadow of a boy standing there, watching me. No that couldn't be. I must be imagining things again. But when I opened my eyes again the shadow was still there, watching me, silent as stone.

"Skerren...?" I called out nervously," Is that you?"

" Skara, don't you recognize me? I'm suprised you would forget your friend so easily..." A voice came from the darkness. A voice I knew all too well.

My eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat," Drakar..."

"Hello, Skara." And out of the shadows stepped a Draconian boy with large, black wings and gleaming blue eyes. It was Drakar, alright, and he was looking better than ever. He kneeled besides me as I laid on the bed and smiled broadly.

"I missed you so much." He murmured and leaned over, kissing me lightly on the lips before pulling back with a wicked grin," I had hoped to see you sooner but things got in the way."

"Drakar, what are you talking about? How are you even here? I thought...I thought you were still captured..."I half whispered, my mind still reeling from the kiss.

"I escaped. C'mon let's get you out of here." He said and picked me up in his arms.

"What!? Were are we going?"

He leaned down and kissed me again before saying," Back to the others, we all missed you. But first the Master has need of you, Skara."

**Yay! We finally get to meet Drakar! XD anyways what did you guys think of this chapter? Also If you guys have any ideas, opinions, or thoughts you'd like to share, please let me know :3 thanks for reading! C:**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter: 11

Skara's POV

My eyes grew wide as I realized what Drakar just said.

" No...Drakar...they broke you didn't they? Your one of them now! " I struggled to get out of his hold but he had a grip of iron.

"Oh, Skara. Stop struggling. Everything will be alright once you see the others." He smiled his trademark smile that now brought tears to my eyes as I realized that this wasn't the friend I once knew. They had turned him into a slave and if I didn't escape him soon, I would be to.

" Please, Drakar...I know your still there. You don't want to do this." I pleaded with him as he headed towards the window, obviously intending to fly out of there with me.

" She's right.." Suddenly I heard the sound of swords being drawn," You don't want to do that."

Drakar turned around quickly, startled to see Skerren standing there with his swords drawn and one pointed right at his throat.

"Let her go." Skerren snarled, and stepped closer towards us, his intent clear.

For a moment there was silence. Terrible silence of two hunters assessing their prey, seeing wether they were a threat or not. I looked up towards Drakar, and then to Skerren. I knew what kind fighter Drakar was but I knew nothing of Skerren's abilities. If It came to a fight, I knew Drakar would kill if needed because that is what he had been taught to do but if Skerren won I don't know what would happen. Then Drakar loosened his grip on me and I was free. Quickly I stepped behind Skerren, who still had his sword pointed at Drakar.

"Who are you and what do you want with my sister?!" Skerren's rage was obvious and yet I noted that Drakar seemed completely calm.

" My name is Drakar." He stepped back slightly away from Skerren and continued on to say," And I'm here to take Skara back to were she belongs."

Skerren's eyes narrowed and he looked towards me for a moment and in that second Drakar kicked Skerren's sword out of his hand and flipped over us. He then grabbed my arm and pulled me away from Skerren and towards the door.

" No! " Skerren turned and reached out for me but Drakar dragged me out the door, and into the hallway. I tried to kick him in the face but he caught my foot in his hand and then slung me over his shoulder. I was in shock. Drakar had never been that fast before. What did they do to him?

Skerren raced out the door, and ran after us, his swords in hand but somehow Drakar had become stronger and faster than ever. No matter what did he wouldn't let go of me and Skerren couldn't catch up.

Suddenly we came up to a dead end which led to a glass window and nowhere else to run. Drakar didn't stop though and I realized what he was going to do. He was going to jump out the window! I kicked him as hard as could, and even though pain shot up my foot he dropped me right as Skerren rounded the corner that lead to the dead end.

Right as Drakar reached down for me again I punched him in the face and backed up, ready to fight. Drakar glanced down the hall and then gave me a pained look.

" Skara...please. Come with me." He held out his hand, pleading for me to take it before Skerren reached us but it was to late. Drakar jumped out the window and spread his wings, lifting off into the night skyline right as Skerren swung his swords at the draconian. I could see Drakar's pained face as gave me one last look before he was gone and I remember what he whispered to me right before he jumped out the window.

"I'll come back for you."

Hello! ^^; sorry for such a late chapter but I have been really busy. Anyways please review if you liked this chapter and yeah... Bye! :3 Ps. I stink at writing fight scenes...XD


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12

Drakar's POV

To say I was in a bad mood was an understatement. I just gotten back to the base...without Skara. The fact that I had failed my mission meant harsh punishment. I shuddered slightly as I walked through the white blank halls of the laboratory towards Jonas Smarts office. Failing a mission was the worst thing that could have happened...and I had been so close to getting Skara back! If only her brother hadn't shown up the plan would be going smoothly by now. My scowl deepened as I kept walking, thinking about what my punishment would be for not bringing Skara back. It didn't matter now, since I had reached the main office.

"Sir. I'm here to report on the mission." I said after I walked inside," I failed-"

"I am well aware of your failure to apprehend the escaped experiment, Drakar. " Jonas Smart peered down at me from his place behind his desk, a permanent frown on his face," It is a minor setback. We could apprehend her at any time. No I simply wanted to see if she would come willingly but now we have some leverage against her."

"Sir, I'm afraid I don't understand."I said, confused by what he meant by "leverage".

"Of course you don't. I doubt you could figure out a simple math problem." Smart sighed and shuffled some papers on his desk before continuing," Her brother is her weakness. If we capture him she will come after him without hesitation and then we will have the final component to recreate the Rüstov virus. A virus I will be able to control and one that Jack Blank won't be able to cure. After all this virus was created by the greatest mind this world has ever seen, and all I need to finish it is that girl. After that, I will finally control the Imagine Nation once again."

I already knew the plan by heart, but he seemed to enjoy repeating it as he continued on speaking before I finally asked,"But sir...how are we going to capture Skerren?"

Smart looked at me and then smirked slightly,"I'll be sending Arsenal to handle him. As for you, you'll be going to the labs for reorientation."

My eyes widened with fear and I started to back up,"Sir, please! I won't fail again I promise! Just don't send me back there!"

"Drakar, you know there are consequences for failure. And failure cannot be tolerated here. Isn't that right, Jazen?"

Suddenly the door opened and a man walked in. I recognized him from the files as Jazen Knight but what was he doing here?

He simply smiled and said to Smart,"Yes, sir"

**wow it took me a long time to update XD anyways thank you to Moonwolf121 for all the help with this chapter! I hope you guys liked it and thanks for reading! :3**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter: 13

Skara's POV

I sighed as I looked at the officer sitting across the table. He reminded me of a rat, to be honest. His name was Officer Conneway, an old cop who apparently had experience with cases like mine. I doubted it, as I had long ago given up on reliability of competent police work. I had been sitting in this small interrogation room for hours, while Officer Conneway asked me questions about Drakar, Jonas Smart, and what were Smarts plans. Honestly, he sounded like he suspected me to be the mastermind of this whole mess, when in reality all I wanted was to get some sleep.

" So, let's go over this again, Skara." Conneway peered at me with his beady eyes, and coughed a little," You say, that this old friend of yours, Drakar, tried to kidnap you and bring back to Jonas Smart? Is that correct?"

This guy was not the sharpest knife in the drawer, it seemed since he had already asked me that question about three times. I sighed and narrowed my eyes at the old policeman, my patience was almost gone.

" Yes, I told you that before." I said, and sighed slightly. After Skerren had taken me back to my hospital room, he called for King Hovarth to come over as fast as he could. He came to the hospital in a rage, demanding to know why the intruder hadn't been caught and why Skerren had to stop Drakar by himself. That whole incident had been quite interesting to say the least. After that the Imagine Nation police were called and I was brought into questioning so they could have the whole story of what actually happened. Now I was here, being asked the same questions over and over. Really I think I've lost some brain cells during this interrogation.

Officer Conneway looked down at his clipboard and scribbled something down,his pen flying across the paper like a whirlwind,"Now at about the time your brother arrived was also the time the Draconian boy, Drakar, showed up as well?"

"Again, I've said this before. It was about the same time. Drakar was there first but Skerren arrived a few minutes afterwards." I resisted the urge to say something about the officers memory as well, considering how that probably wouldn't help my case.

The policeman seemed to be satisfied with that answer and continued to write on his clipboard, pausing every few minutes to look up and ask another question to which I would respond and then he would keep writing and ask another question.

Yeah, I think I may just be here awhile.

Skerren's POV

"Calm down, Skerren. You're making me nervous with all of that pacing around," Jack Blank said as he sat in a chair in the conference room of the hospital," Honestly, there's nothing to worry about. She'll be fine. "

I glared at Jack for a second before giving up and sitting down in the chair across from him. I sighed, and looked at the ground, my weariness coming into play. I had barely slept lately with all that had been going on and now with someone after Skara...I didn't have the time rest.

"Where's Allegra?" I looked up to look around the room, just now noticing that she wasn't in the room, which was strange since she was here the last time I looked.

"She had to go home." A look if pain crossed over Jack's face for a second before he continued on to say," She's really upset about Ricochet. She...she just needs some time."

"Oh..." I had been so wrapped up with seeing if Skara was alright that I had forgotten that Ricochet was Allegra's mentor and friend. Of course she would be grieving right now...since Ricochet...died.

I looked up at Jack, a bitter look on my face,"Then why are you here? You know...with Jazen...and all that. Shouldn't you be at home with your dad? "

Jack looked up from his holo-screen, his eyes dark before he finally said,"Jazen can't be dead. He's a Mech...maybe his hard drive is still out there and...I can bring him back."He took a deep breath before saying,"I can't give up. Not now."

**Sorry guys for the abrupt ending and boring chapter... I just wanted to write this so I could start off some character development for Jack and Skerren and maybe have some more Trea X Skerren later~ I hope you liked it and if you did please review! :3**


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